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Kubo vs IPFS Desktop: catalog facts
Kubo	IPFS Desktop
Free Free and open source under the MIT licence.	Free Free and open source.
Windows, Self-hosted, Command line	Windows, macOS, Linux
Content addressing makes data verifiable Works on public and private networks	Runs an IPFS node without command-line setup Available for Windows, macOS and Linux
Concepts such as CIDs and pinning take time to learn Command-line focused; graphical use needs IPFS Desktop	Files are only reachable while some node keeps serving them Built on Electron, so heavier than a native app
Downloadable app, Self-hosted	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: MIT	License not stated
No account needed	No account needed
Not stated if it works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 2, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 24, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.